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Story summary
- Francis Clifford Smith died at age 101 on June 25, 2026 while on parole.
- Spokesman David Skoczulek said Smith died of old age and was cremated.
- He was the longest-serving inmate, spending over 70 years in prison after a 1949 murder conviction.
- He entered parole in 2022 at age 97 and lived in a nursing home for inmates.
- Witnesses later recanted and another inmate claimed responsibility, keeping the case controversial.
